Ban on manifestos: Gujarat HC junks PIL

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat high court reject a PIL seeking a ban on manifestos issued by political parties during elections.


Ahead of the 2017 assembly polls, Jayesh Shah, a managing trustee of an NGO Sewa Gujarati, had urged the HC to completely ban the practice of manifestos being issued by political parties. He had also sought directions to the Election Commission to frame guidelines with regard to manifestos and to take action against political parties for not fulfilling promises made in manifestos.

While seeking a declaration from the HC that issuing of manifestos by political parties was illegal and unconstitutional, the petitioner argued that political parties never fulfil the promises made in manifestos and such manifestos are nothing but only pieces of paper without any accountability value.

The petitioner cited the manifestos issued by political parties during the 2014 general election, when manifestos titled as ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’ and ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ were issued with tall promises. He contended that the ruling party does not make any endeavour to implement the manifestos. Such violations of promises has become routine in India and hence such manifestos are nothing but cheating. Such manifestos misguide Indian voters to garner support and to secure votes during elections.